Mandeville, LA November 2025 by City Lifestyle

A Season of Thanks

November has a way of slowing us down and reminding us to take stock of what matters most.

Gratitude doesn’t just live around the Thanksgiving table; it lingers in the way we honor our families, serve our neighbors, and celebrate the beauty of life’s meaningful moments.

In this issue, we gather stories of thankfulness from across our community. You’ll meet Jolie Goodreau of Olivier Couture Bridal Boutique, whose passion for faith, family, and forever moments has shaped her calling to help brides step into vows stitched with love and legacy.

You’ll find inspiration in “A Simpler Thanksgiving,” with hosting tips and recipes designed to bring us back to what truly counts: presence over perfection.

And you’ll discover how Tyler Fussell and her family built The Fussell Group Insurance Advisors into a gold standard of service rooted not only in growth, but in the gratitude that binds generations together.

As the season turns toward Christmas, we also invite you to nominate local neighbors for our annual Christmas Giving Campaign, a tradition of meeting real needs in our community. Together, we can make sure that thankfulness overflows into generosity so that every family feels the warmth of the season.

From our table to yours, may this month be filled with purpose, gratitude, and the joy of giving.

Warmly,

November 2025

PUBLISHER

Rebecca George | rebecca.george@citylifestyle.com

CO-PUBLISHER

Christian George, PhD christian.george@citylifestyle.com

PUBLISHER ASSISTANT Akifa Ashraf

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Christian George, Samantha Durbin, Brittany Meadth, Mel Boban

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Abby Sands, Tony Thagard, Arianna Temples, Emily Merrill

Corporate Team

CEO Steven Schowengerdt

President Matthew Perry

COO David Stetler

CRO Jamie Pentz

CoS Janeane Thompson

AD DESIGNER Matthew Endersbe

LAYOUT DESIGNER Lillian Gibbs

QUALITY CONTROL SPECIALIST Megan Cagle

Lady of the Lake Roman Catholic Church Mandeville, LA

THANKFUL THREADS & Timeless Vows

Olivier Couture’s mission to honor faith, family, and forever moments

ARTICLE BY CHRISTIAN GEORGE, PHD | PHOTOGRAPHY BY ABBY SANDS AND TONY THAGARD

The first thing you notice inside Mandeville’s Olivier Couture Bridal Boutique is the color. A hush of pink, soft as dawn. It’s unapologetically feminine, perhaps because Jolie Goodreau, the owner, raised four sons at home.

“Pink,” she says, “was my rebellion, my one place to be girly.”

Her story begins not in couture but in classrooms. A special education teacher, Jolie spent her twenties writing IEPs, guiding children with exceptionalities through their first steps of learning. That patience, and its demand for empathy, threads her boutique today.

For ten years now, Jolie has been shaping bridal experiences that are as much about presence as they are about purchase.

She laughs at the memory of bridal seminars that promised foolproof closing techniques. “We’re actually terrible at sales,” she says, “and that’s the way I want it. This isn’t about a pitch; it’s about an experience.”

What Jolie offers brides is rare: an unpressured sanctuary where the most important garment of her life becomes a moment of revelation, not transaction.

“We’re Team Bride,” she says. “Always.”

That team mentality comes naturally for Jolie, the mother of four boys, each one a competitor—football, baseball, firefighting, even pole vaulting.

Her life was built on bleachers, juggling practice schedules and scraped knees. Jolie is thankful for the grit those years instilled, for the pressure, because it equipped her to remind nervous twenty-somethings in satin that weddings are not about the Instagram carousel, they’re ultimately about the marriage.

For Jolie, helping brides prepare for their weddings is about relationship. Brides shop a year in advance, return for fittings, text updates, schedule veil appointments and steaming. Jolie remembers their venues, their mothers’ names, and their stories. Months after, she runs into her clients on church pews or pushing strollers down Northshore sidewalks.

“We’re in each other’s lives for a year,” she says, “sometimes more. We become friends.”

Brides are not customers to Jolie; they are students of transformation, often discovering themselves in dresses they never imagined.

“They come in with lace in mind, walk out with satin ball gowns,” Jolie says. “They see themselves differently. That’s the moment.”

Veils are lowered, mothers cry, grandmothers gasp, best friends squeal, and Jolie, not a crier by nature, finds herself swept into the emotion of it all.

“It’s contagious,” she admits. And when it all comes together—the veil, the fit, the tears—Jolie swears even she feels it. “I never thought I’d be cheesy like that. But it really is a moment to remember.”

Much of Jolie’s legacy comes from her grandmother, a four-foot-eight Southern belle from Vicksburg who never once wore pants, not even to the beach. She was always in heels, always hosting Saturday luncheons on bone china at 10:30 sharp. Jolie is thankful for a grandmother’s etiquette that lingers still, stitched quietly into every seam of her boutique.

In many ways, every gown that leaves her shop carries forward a lineage of grace and Southern elegance woven into modern design.

Her grandmother’s etiquette shapes her as much as her faith roots her. It’s no accident that Jolie’s LLC bears the words of Ecclesiastes 4:12: a cord of three strands is not easily broken .

“The three cords are you, your future spouse, and the Lord,” she explains. “Patience and kindness and humility and humanity all go a long way. I hope people see that I love the Lord and that everything I do is based on that foundation.”

Jolie’s love of marriage reflects her own. Thirty-three years with her husband, she insists, have only deepened her affection.

“I can honestly say, without a shadow of a doubt, that I love him more now than I did in 1992. I can’t imagine not being married. I adore him.”

Fashion has a way of looping through time with old styles coming back into vogue. The Basque waist of Jolie’s own

OLIVIER COUTURE BRIDAL BOUTIQUE

@OLIVIERCOUTUREBRIDAL

Olivier Couture Bridal Boutique has been serving brides and bridesmaids since 2010 and was voted the Northshore’s Best Bridal Shop. Visit Olivier Couture Bridal online at oliviercouture.com , on Instagram @oliviercouturebridal , and in person at Chenier Shopping Center, 1901 Highway 190 #24 in Mandeville. To schedule an appointment, call the boutique at (985) 674-6994 or fill out the contact form online.

Landon, Cameron, Jolie, Brennon, Logan, Brayden. Photo by Tony Thagard.

Jolie's grandmother, 1925

“I hope people see that I love the Lord and that everything I do is based on that.”

gown has returned; Chantilly lace flirts again; strapless, once forgotten, now chic. Trends cycle, but Olivier Couture remains steady.

Jolie is raising more than a family; she’s marshalling an army of brides, ushering each of them into what she calls the “second yes.”

The first yes belongs to the proposal, the second goes to the gown. What, then, does Olivier Couture sell? Not merely dresses, though they gleam in clean organza and shimmer with eyelash lace. What Jolie offers is a rare kind of centeredness. Brides leave not only with fabric but with a memory staged in kindness, patience, and candor.

In a culture obsessed with “the day,” Jolie whispers a different truth: the marriage matters more than the ceremony. “This isn’t about one day. It’s about beginning a marriage.”

Perhaps that is why Olivier Couture has become Mandeville’s premier bridal boutique.

At Olivier Couture, every fitting becomes a rehearsal for a future. Dresses will fray, trends may cycle, photographs will fade. But the vow—the tether of three strands—is reason to be thankful, season after season.

SEASONAL

RECIPES BY BRITTANY MEADTH

PHOTOGRAPHY BY EMILY MERRILL

ARTICLE BY SAMANTHA DURBIN

HONEY

ROASTED CARROTS WITH LABNEH AND FRESH DILL

Hosting Tip: “Ask for help from the right people. Some people aren’t going to be comfortable making bread rolls or a dessert, but maybe they’re great at making salad. Others can be asked to bring drinks or clean afterward. Nobody is a mind-reader—don’t be afraid to set up a spreadsheet where they can sign up!”

Ingredients

• 10 carrots

• ½ cup fresh dill

• 3 sprigs of thyme

Directions

• 1 cup labneh

• 2 tablespoons honey

• 2-3 tablespoons olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 400° F

2. Wash, peel, and prep your carrots. If carrots are skinny, you can peel them and place them onto a cookie sheet. If the carrots are thicker in diameter you can cut them lengthwise into halves.

3. Drizzle honey and olive oil over carrots on baking sheet. Use your hands to make sure the carrots are properly coated on all sides.

4. Add salt and pepper

5. Bake in the oven at 400° F for about 25-30 minutes

6. Take them out of the oven and set aside

7. On a large serving plate add about a cup (or more) of labneh. My favorite is called Luretik.

8. Add your carrots then freshly chopped dill and thyme to the top

9. Drizzle a good olive oil over the whole thing

FLAVORS

HONEYNUT SQUASH

Ingredients

• 3 honeynut squash

• olive oil

• salt

• pepper

• smoked paprika

• pomegranates

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400° F

2. Slice the squashes in half, remove all the seeds

3. Add olive oil, salt, and pepper and roast for 30 minutes

4. Add smoked paprika and pomegranates to serve

Hosting tip: “It’s all in the way you present it to kids…when you ask your kids to join, try not to make it sound like a punishment. Emphasize that they have a responsibility prepping really yummy food. Include a special drink for the kids while they’re helping, like spiced apple cider. Adjust your expectations to allow for extra mess, extra time, and know it won’t turn out exactly as if you had done it yourself. But the tradeoff of creating happy memories is 100% worth it.”

CRISPY POTATOES

Ingredients

• 10 small yellow gold potatoes

• 1/2 tablespoon baking soda

• olive oil

• salt

• rosemary, garlic, chives (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400° F

2. In a large Dutch oven, bring water, baking soda, and salt to a boil. Place unpeeled potatoes into the water and reduce the heat to medium-low. Once the potatoes are soft to touch (20-25 min), drain and let sit for 10 minutes.

3. On a cutting board, grab a potato and use any large object (wine bottle, glass jar) and smash down the potato. Do this gently and have a spatula close by to transfer to a baking dish.

4. Once you have smashed all the potatoes, add salt and olive oil.

5. Place in oven and roast for 20 minutes or until crispy

6. Top with the garlic, rosemary, and fresh chives

Cooking tip: “I don’t peel my potatoes because who really has time for that? The secret to this recipe: baking soda. The baking soda makes the water alkaline which helps break down the surface of the potatoes, making them very crispy and very delicious.”

CARAMEL CHEESECAKE

Ingredients

Crust

• 12 graham crackers

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 1⁄4 cup brown sugar

Filling

• 4 sticks of cream cheese (room temp)

• 1-1⁄2 cup sugar

• 5 large eggs (room temp)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350° F

Crust

• 2-1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla

• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

• zest of whole lemon

Caramel

• 1-1⁄4 cup sugar

• 1-1⁄3 cup water

• 1 cup heavy whipping cream

• 1 cup unsalted or salted butter

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. In a food processor, add the graham crackers, butter, and brown sugar. Blend until sand-like texture.

2. In a springform pan, add parchment paper and butter the sides

3. Place crust into the pan and pat down to form a smooth base

4. Set in the fridge and chill for 15 minutes

Filling

1. Add the cream cheese to a standing mixer. Make sure it’s room temperature—this is an important step!

2. With your whisk attachment on medium speed, mix the cream cheese. Once it becomes fluffy, add the sugar and one egg at a time. Scrape down sides as needed.

3. Remove the pan with the crust from the fridge, add the batter to the pan, and place into your preheated oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes.

4. Remove from the oven and let sit. Once cool, cover and place in the fridge.

Caramel

1. In a saucepan, add the sugar and water. Whisk until the sugar is dissolved. Keep heat on medium. Watch the sugar water—it will slowly go from a light brown to a rich amber color.

2 . Once it turns amber in color, add the heavy whipping cream and butter and whisk

3. Turn the heat off and let sit for 5 minutes

4. Remove cheesecake from the fridge and add the caramel to the top

GRATITUDE. GROWTH.

Caroline Fussell Badon

HOW THE FUSSELL FAMILY TURNED FIVE AGENTS INTO A GOLD-STANDARD LEGACY OF THANKFULNESS AND SERVICE

These days, insurance is rarely thought of as inspiring. And yet, in the heart of Old Covington, the Fussell family has built an agency that feels less like a company and more like a community.

Fussell Group Insurance Advisors was founded in 2012 with just five agents. Today, it has grown to more than a hundred advisors across the Northshore and New Orleans. What began as a modest venture has matured into something sacred, almost ministerial.

ARTICLE BY CHRISTIAN GEORGE, PHD PHOTOGRAPHY BY ARIANNA TEMPLES

Tyler Fussell

“We want to protect health, wealth, and assets,” says founder Tyler Fussell. “But above all, we want our community to see God in us.”

That mission is rooted in family and faith. Tyler’s grandfather, Baxter Pond, pastor of First Baptist Church of Covington, led the charge to have the first physical church built on the corner of Jefferson and 23rd. Starting in 1942, he remained there for nearly twenty-four years. That ethic of service and compassion now informs every client interaction and written policy.

For Tyler, insurance is never only about contracts.Her mornings begin around four a.m. in prayer and planning.

“Do the right thing,” she says, “and it comes back tenfold.” Faith isn’t merely a slogan for her; it’s the foundation.

The family’s next generation has stepped into the story. Caroline Fussell Badon, who grew up answering phones in the office at seventeen, studied Mass Communications before returning to help guide the agency’s future.

Today, she is integral to what makes this company so particularly noteworthy. Caroline oversees marketing, bringing the Fussell name onto podcasts, social media, billboards, and into national conferences. At one recent gathering in Nashville, colleagues from across the country recognized her on

sight—evidence that the agency’s reach extends far beyond the parish lines.

Growth at The Fussell Group isn’t measured in numbers. It’s measured in lives cared for, in worry lifted from clients’ shoulders. Many who come through the door feel overwhelmed by Medicare choices, by health-care costs, by fine print that seems impossible to decipher. But they leave with clarity, sometimes with tears of gratitude, and often with hugs for their agents. Caroline describes it in four words: “We steal their worry.”

Inside the agency’s walls, the atmosphere is equally distinct. It’s not corporate, like you’d expect. It’s unapologetically communal. Lunches are shared around long tables. Birthdays are celebrated. Grief is borne together.

The office manager, Sheila Wynn, was widowed recently. “This place gave me a home,” she says. Agent Tracey Mury, after

losing his stepson, remembered that every single colleague showed up at the wake. “I think that’s what’s so special about Tyler,” says Christie LeBoeuf, Director of Contracting and HR. “She’s got determination and grit, but she also has a soft side.” Jared Lindsey, Director of IT, agrees. “Tyler gave me a chance when there were no jobs, and that changed everything for me.”

Agent Kelly Fertitta tells me, “Coming from another agency, the difference here has been night and day. Everyone accepted us with open arms. It’s the most loving, Christ-centered environment I’ve ever worked in.”

The Fussell Group invests in events that strengthen its extended family of agents. Their annual kickoff is staged with the energy of a live broadcast. The Medicare Mastermind, another gathering, blends professional training with leadership development and camaraderie.

“FOR TYLER FUSSELL, FAITH IS NOT A SLOGAN; IT’S THE FOUNDATION.”

To Tyler, these are opportunities to raise up agents and equip them to succeed. To show them that “Our agents are family,” as she says.

By 2027, The Fussell Group hopes to insure 100,000 lives. Ambitious, yes. But even though the path is steep, especially as the insurance industry weathers change, Tyler speaks of obstacles with the steady calm of a veteran who knows the industry intimately. “With change comes opportunity.”

This fall, as open enrollment begins, the Fussell mission is clear: to make the complicated simple. To safeguard legacies. And to remind us that insurance, when handled with care, is service.

On the Northshore, where family ties run deep and legacy matters, The Fussell Group has become the gold standard of insurance serving Louisiana. And for the thousands who trust them with what matters most, that is the rarest and most important kind of assurance.

To find the right coverage, reach out to Fussell Group Insurance Advisors today (at no cost to you and with no obligation to enroll). Call (985) 531-1241 or email info@fgiala.com

H O P E

with YOU

The holidays have a way of calling us back to what matters most—faith, family, compassion, and the quiet but powerful act of giving. As lights go up and calendars fill, there are still many who sit in silence, carrying burdens too heavy to bear alone. But what if this season, you could be the spark that changes everything for someone else?

The founders of City Lifestyle, through their private foundation, are once again launching its annual Christmas Giving Campaign—a heartfelt effort to seek out and support individuals and families who have quietly fallen through the cracks. The mission is simple: to bring light, dignity, and hope to those who need it most.

Since its beginning just four years ago, this initiative has grown from a humble idea into a life-changing movement. Last Christmas alone, more than 200 families across the country received unexpected support—financial relief, but also something even more powerful.

“We don’t just send checks,” says Steven Schowengerdt, CEO and founder of City Lifestyle. “We send a message: You are seen. You are loved. And you are not forgotten.”

Together with City Lifestyle President Matthew Perry, Steven has helped shape this into a tradition that goes far beyond charity. “This is about community,” Matthew adds. “We believe we’ve been blessed, so now we get to be a blessing.”

Every story begins with a nomination. Often, it’s a neighbor, coworker, friend, or teacher—someone who’s been quietly carrying too much for too long. One past recipient, after receiving unexpected support during a time of deep personal struggle, wrote:

SCAN TO NOMINATE

“We send a message: You are seen. You are loved. And you are not forgotten.”

“Beyond the very practical solution of receiving funds to fix my car, this thing you guys worked together to do is bigger than that. I carry the Christmas card you sent in my purse. When things get really hard, I pull it out and remember what it felt like to be seen. That card represents hope— that change for the better is possible. I’m not sure how many people get to carry hope around in their purse. But I do.”

Another wrote in after her husband was diagnosed with aggressive brain cancer and unable to work:

“This support has blessed our family not only financially, but emotionally and spiritually as we trust God to meet our needs throughout this difficult time. Thank you to our anonymous friend and to your foundation. What a joy and gift to be part of God’s family!”

Each year brings countless stories like these—real lives touched by simple acts of kindness. Some use the funds to pay overdue bills, others to afford groceries, medication, or repairs. But no matter the circumstance, the impact is the same: hope is restored.

This season, you have the opportunity to be part of that. The campaign is now open to nominations—completely confidential and prayerfully considered. Whether it’s someone battling illness, facing unemployment, or just in need of a helping hand, you can bring them a moment of grace that will ripple far beyond Christmas morning.

“Knowing my mom was chosen filled my heart with indescribable joy,” said another past recipient. “Your generosity doesn’t just brighten her life; it inspires hope and faith in all of us. It enables her to stay in her home and get back on her feet.”

Nominations are open from November 1st to December 5th, 2025. To submit someone you know, simply scan the QR code or visit @CityLifestyle on Instagram, where you’ll find the nomination form in the bio.

This holiday season, let’s give more than gifts. Let’s give each other the gift of being seen. Because sometimes, the smallest gesture becomes someone’s greatest miracle.

To nominate someone in need, visit: KingdomBuildingFoundation.org or scan the QR code.

uniqueGIFTING

ARTICLE BY MEL BOBAN

ADVICE EDITORIAL: ALTERNATE GIFT IDEAS FOR THE HOLIDAY SEASON

The holiday season is officially on, and gifting is top of mind. We’re all used to scrolling online, browsing the malls or hitting the local boutiques, but sometimes it’s fun and unexpected to switch it up. If looking to surprise and delight recipients this year and to bring a new tradition to the season, offbeat gifting can be a great way to turn a new leaf on stale routines.

1) PRE-HOLIDAY SURPRISE.

For those traveling, send gifts early, such as cheeses, fruit or pies.

2) FUTURE FUN.

Browse winter or spring events; snag tickets to enjoy with recipients.

3) GENEROSITY.

Donations make heartfelt, thoughtful ideas.

4) TRAVEL.

Gift a loved one with a trip.

5) TIME.

Is a recipient busy, overloaded and overworked? Treat them to a whole home cleaning before or after the holiday.

6) LOVE OF LEARNING.

If a loved one is planning international travel, grab them a gift card for a language learning app.

7) THOUGHTFUL MESSAGES.

Ask friends and family to record loving messages on cellphones; combine recordings using a video app for meaningful holiday greeting.

8) BON APPÉTIT.

9) RECIPE BOOK.

Gather traditional family recipes and create printed books for guests as priceless keepsakes.

Inspiration for your best local life.

Exclusive giveaways.

Hidden gem alert!

Good news in your neighborhood.

Local content by local creators.

Inside scoop on all things local.

Locally-inspired food & drink recipes.

As a proud part of the NOLA community for more than 12 years, The Trace is made up of your friends from church, neighbors and colleagues. Our Assisted Living and SHINE® Memory Care community is passionate about preserving local connections, honoring our culture, and continuing a lifestyle that’s big on family, fun and faith. All that, plus lagniappe: That little, extra peace of mind that comes from knowing you or your loved one is being cared for like family, because that’s what life in Southeast Louisiana is all about!